


Rest

by lifeupbeta



Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Video Game)
Genre: And so do I, Comfort, Gen, Light-Hearted, Lullabies, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Sleepy Kuro, Wolf Loves His Little Lord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 14:36:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18741064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeupbeta/pseuds/lifeupbeta
Summary: Taking care of the Divine Heir was a task that Wolf most certainly did not consider a burden.





	Rest

**Author's Note:**

> wolf and kuro oneshot because i love them almost as much as they love eachother

Taking care of the Divine Heir was a task that Wolf most certainly did not consider a burden. It was his duty as Lord Kuro’s faithful shinobi to jump at his every beck and call. Not that his young lord was especially needy; Kuro was incredibly humble for his status and treated Wolf with utmost respect. It was for that reason perhaps that Wolf silently enjoyed his company when he was graced with it.

“Wolf,” The young lord said. His voice lilted unsurely. The wooden depths of Ashina Castle where they sought shelter creaked under the barrage of wintry winds outside. The room held a bitter chill within; it showed in the visible clouds the two exhaled, warm breath a stark contrast to the icy air surrounding.

Wolf approached Lord Kuro where he stood — in front of the shrine, basking in the faint warmth given off by the votive candles. Their soft glow faintly illuminated the room. He knelt.

“I’m very cold.” And it looked to be true. Kuro’s round cheeks were flushed red from winter’s bite and he trembled even beneath his layered robes.

Wolf’s slate expression was unchanging as he shrugged his orange coat from his shoulders. The shinobi rose and stepped closer. Head bowed, he gently draped the still warm coat over Kuro’s little frame.

Untraditional as it was for someone of status to wear such peasant garb, Kuro’s comfort came before all else. And Kuro didn’t seem to mind. A small smile blossomed on the young lord’s little face.

“Thank you,” He began, pulling the warm coat tight around him,

“But aren’t you cold?”

“Think nothing of it.”

Concern crossed the Divine Heir’s brow for only a moment before fading. Kuro knew that he could trust in Wolf. Blunt as he was, his shinobi spoke only his mind.

Kuro turned slowly on his heel and pressed his back against the wall. He sat, knees pulled up to his chest, his shinobi’s large coat blanketed over him. A warmth swelled in Wolf’s chest at the sight. He wasn’t immediately able to place the emotion.

Pride was among them, something that the humble shinobi did not often relish in. But being able to take ample care of his lord was the only thing that mattered. It was his life’s purpose, and fulfilling it in ways no matter how small provided him deep satisfaction.

Pride was not the only thing that stirred within Wolf, however. He felt something much stronger when he looked down at Kuro, his deep brown eyes heavy with exhaustion and Wolf’s coat pulled tightly around him.

The shinobi felt what he could only describe as tenderness towards the boy; an urge to protect him originating not from his duty, but instead from a place somewhere inside. The feeling was foreign. An affection deeper than he’d ever felt before, even towards the one who’d taken him in, fed him, clothed him. A familial sort of... love.

Wolf was shaken from his thoughts as the sound of Lord Kuro’s voice softly calling his name broke the silence. He turned.

“…Come here?” The Divine Heir said, though it sounded much more like a request than an order. He gently patted the smooth wood directly beside where he sat.

Without a word, Wolf obeyed. He crouched next to his lord before propping himself against the wall and allowing his tense posture to relax. 

Kuro looked up at him. His expression was soft and his eyes were tired. Wolf immediately understood. His little lord had been thrust into a position of so much responsibility for his unripe age.

Kuro faced so many complex decisions that only he could make. And as the two inched closer to the destination of their journey — the achievement of immortal severance — Kuro must have known that the hardest decision was still yet to come.

“You should rest.” Wolf uttered. And Kuro did, shifting to rest his little head against his shinobi’s sturdy shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, listening only to the distant rustling of the wind through the trees and their own relaxed breathing.

“Wolf?”

“.......?”

“Do you know any lullabies?”

Wolf paused. Though perhaps not a lullaby, there was one tune the shinobi had carried with him his entire life, from long before he was orphaned on the battlefield. A tune he’d never repeated, but had always been with him. An echo from a time long passed.

“…One.”

“Do you think you could sing to me? ...Or maybe hum? I hope it isn’t too much to ask… As a child at the Hirata Estate, when I couldn’t sleep, sometimes the servants would sing to me, and...”

Kuro trailed off. Not once in his many years had Wolf ever sung. His voice, monotonous and rough, was surely one not tailored for singing. But if it truly meant comfort for his young lord, he was sure he could muster a tune in the form of a hum.

And so he did. Recalling the tune from so many long years ago, he softly hummed, deep voice a rumbling purr that surprised even himself. It was calming, like listening to the rolling tide; Kuro found his eyelids growing heavier as he listened to the rise and fall of his shinobi’s quiet voice.

For just a little while the Divine Heir was able to imagine that all was right with the world. From his position leaning against Wolf it didn’t feel like he was pretending. Safe and protected, bundled and warm, Kuro finally drifted off into a restful, dreamless sleep.


End file.
